Due to the overwhelming success of the last round, the Best Collection Awards are BACK!

Set to run from May 31 to July 26th 2013. This will give everyone ample time to figure out entries and get those photos uploaded!

Categories to be announced, so if any of you have a suggestion, feel free to message either myself or the facebook page for the Best Collection Awards.

https://www.facebook.com/BestCollectionAwards

I was so looking forward to being able to enter a new category- a couple of months to clean my shit up- no hope

Maybe a noobie catagory...

Tashi is gonna want to enter, good, bad, or otherwise...

aussiejames wrote:

I was so looking forward to being able to enter a new category- a couple of months to clean my shit up- no hope

How much time to do you need to get things in order? I'm sure I can tell the team we can't go forward until AJ says so!

+1 for a n00b category!

I will enter for shits and giggles if there is a cat that I won't look completely pathetic in!

The past winners and entrants were beyond amazing!!! I have no hope in competing with the main categories, so hopefully there will be something I can enter!

Either way, cool stuff indeed!
I can't wait to see all the pictures!!!!!

I have submitted a request to the BCA team to see if we can get a category for new collectors in place.

We aim to please!

The last round had more entries than we have had in quite some time. It looks like the wattosjunkshop.com and imperialgunnery.com partnership is working well!

dj121 wrote:

How much time to do you need to get things in order? I'm sure I can tell the team we can't go forward until AJ says so!

It's been on my annual 'to do list' for 3 years

Regardless of the categories I'll be entering in some way, shape or form. Take a few pictures, send an email for a chance to win a prize- too easy.

Attention all you noobies!!!

Best Collection Awards staff have informed me that the request for a noob category has been accepted! We are still finalizing the specifics, but I will make sure to post here once details have been put in place.

dj121 wrote:

Attention all you noobies!!!

Best Collection Awards staff have informed me that the request for a noob category has been accepted! We are still finalizing the specifics, but I will make sure to post here once details have been put in place.

Can't wait to see what it is!!!!!!!!!!

What do you think is a fair "cut off" point for the noob category? At some point in time, you're no longer a new guy. Should we limit this to a few months, or no longer than 2 years?

I want to be fair, and give those truly just starting out a good shot. So lets get some input before the rules are finalized.

Thank you guys!

Since I do consider myself I n00b, I will just suss out my history as quick as possible.

I had a few massive collections as a spoiled kid who had two sets of grandparents spread across 4 houses which I lived at or visited (parents divorced at 5 so toys equaled love! ). A little after high school (93/94) I sold whatever survived the many house moves and just losing crap as I was growing up.
But I did hold on to 5 major pieces:

1. MOC Palitoy 12 Back Vader
   
2. MOC ROTJ Leia Boussh
   
3. Illusive Concepts Yoda Maquette
   
4. Graflex Luke ANH saber parts
   
5. Vader King Sol (knock off of Heiland) saber parts

Over the past 2 decades I always got Yoda bits as gifts (inside short jokes and my love of Star Wars ).

Five months ago, in late December 2012, my father found about 40 loose Star Wars figures (and other odds-n-ends) in my grandparents basement in a C-3PO case consisting of mostly ANH figures in awesome shape which were backup toys when I visited my grandparents and were barely played with.

So I basically decided in early January 2013 to start officially collecting as an adult for a hobby and I guess a bit of an investment.

So... I do consider myself a n00b, but does that qualify?

I would say that qualifies. I have all of my stuff from childhood, but we never really thought of ourselves as collectors back then.

If you have only been a full blow hobbyist since January, that qualifies for me.

As Tashi just pointed out (her words, not mine) - "He had stuff all his life" (referencing the held onto pieces & gifts)

I think we all continue to learn, we just get a better focus over time... but a noob... hmmm...

Someone who doesn't know shit from Shinola... still making stupid mistakes from over enthusiasm.

I'm not sure if drunken ebuying counts

Our 2 cents thrown in.

I guess I get that, Ed. But if you are saying I am not still new at this, I do have to disagree. Sorry, man.

I don't want anyone to think I am being defensive to Ed's post in what follows. If I miss the cut for one reason or another so be it. Heck, we don't even know if the n00b collection will be about figures or bed sheets yet.

I didn't offer any thoughts on defining a n00b in my last post. I just told a story. So now I just wanted to flesh out my thoughts on what a n00b truly is in my eyes. Just my opinion of course.

Everything I know about the toys is brand new knowledge gained over the past few months. I had no idea what a "run" was, nor a "focus", nor a MOC, nor "repros", nor that other countries besides the US made (or even sold) different versions or bootlegs or pretty much anything at all. I just knew there were toys out there and I wanted to get them again!

As a kid, they were toys... and yeah, even displaying them as a teenager in my room or making a diorama of the Death Star hanger with my Falcon, I was still playing, not collecting.
NOW, I am collecting with a whole new intent (and cash); not buying new toys to play with. Although setting them up for display is kinda playing with them.

Also, I would think that being a n00b isn't defined by IQ points or a sheer wealth of knowledge. I know I am a quick study and that has helped me a ton, but as a collector/hobbyist, I still say I am a n00b.

I would also think that somewhere up to 6 - 9 months (not sure about a year) seems about right to be considered a n00b. I'm just thinking about time people spend in classes on subjects before they actually learn and understand the subject matter.

If being qualified as a n00b is limited to buying or being gifted your first SW toy or item in the past X months, and/or not qualified if you owned some of the toys back in the 70s and 80s, then there will be almost no one that meets that criteria. I would guess that even Tashi has received a few SW related items over the years. It is almost impossible not to have with the marketing GIANT that is LFL and Disney whether it is a shirt, hat, book cover, toy, underoos or whatever. My 22 month old niece has a near complete full run of plush toys and a Gentle Giant Leia already. The plush toys were started when she was 6 months old by my sister-in-law with a Jawa. She likes Max Rebo the best - damn that bright blue bugger!

that's my shilling to add to the pot

cheers

psybertech wrote:

My 22 month old niece has a near complete full run of plush toys and a Gentle Giant Leia already. The plush toys were started when she was 6 months old by my sister-in-law with a Jawa. She likes Max Rebo the best - damn that bright blue bugger!

A plush Max Rebo? What company made that line? Tashi loved the Max Rebo figure (well all 3 band members actually) that she got. And plushies are cool. LOL

They are made by Kenner and called "Star Wars Buddies". I don't know how many in total there are but I can think of a bunch off the top of my head (r2/3po/jawa/max/jabba/crumb/chewie/padme/yoda/wampa/wicket). My niece has all those already and maybe more.

Umm, side question - I was looking at the past contests & see sponsors, but not what was awarded.

Can you clear this up? Or is it bragging rights or something?

The cut off has been set for one year.

And it looks like the general category for noobies will be overall collection, or whatever you are comfortable showing off.

Contest is LIVE!!

An additional sponsor is still in the works, so that will be updated as soon as there is something to report.

Categories are

BEST OVERALL COLLECTION (for everyone one year plus in the hobby)

BEST NEW COLLECTION (for everyone with a year or less under their belt)

I'll have to re-read all the fine print, but I am in! 4 pics?!?!!? haha... j/k.. no probs...........

I hope to have my main focus' display cabinet/case before the end date, but if I can't I'll make do with what I for that focus.
Tons of housekeeping to do to make it all purty in the meantime!

ki4gsz wrote:

Umm, side question - I was looking at the past contests & see sponsors, but not what was awarded.
Can you clear this up? Or is it bragging rights or something?

I don't know myself, but seeing a few names for donors, there probably are some physical things given unless its a PM saying 'cheers!' haha... perhaps that is one of the reasons that RS is out? I don't want to guess, so I will just leave it as 'I have no idea what is up for grabs if anything and it's all good either way!'.

Anyway, looking forward to it and can't wait to see the entrants!

ki4gsz wrote:

Umm, side question - I was looking at the past contests & see sponsors, but not what was awarded.

Can you clear this up? Or is it bragging rights or something?

There have been various prizes awarded over the years. There have been gift certificates, t-shirts, toys, wall decals and other items.

Some have been donated by past contestants, and some have been through sites like Toy Anxiety and Brian's Toys. I'm not a big fan of him or his site, but he was secured as a prize donation for a previous contest and sent an ENTIRE WAVE of Legacy collection figures!


Rebelscum not being welcome back for the 20th round..... That is a decision made because they spent more time criticizing the contest, and looking for high dollar prizes than entering. They didn't like some of the previous categories from older rounds and wanted huge payouts. We simply do not have the means to provide a 1000.00 prize. This is meant to be a fun contest, with photos of some great collections that we can all share and admire. We are always open to suggestions for making the contest better, but borderline belittlement of our hard working staff was not appreciated.

I also forgot to mention that some previous sponsors have been artists whom have donated one of their prints. I think Toy Anxiety has been the site that gave out an Autographed Boba Fett print!

I have my photos, now I just need to sort them and I will be submitting for Best overall collection! Can't wait to see what the competition brings!

I haven't forgot about this! I don't know Toy Anxiety, but anything Boba signed sounds awesome!

I am finalizing my main loose display case and re-working my loose foci before I officially enter (no, I am not basing my collection on the contest! I just have a bunch of things I want to work).

I'm also torn on how to whittle it down to 5 pictures, so I still have some work to do.

Anyway... looking forward to the fun!

I see that Ed has thrown his hat in for this but no one else so far in either category?
Do people normally wait until the last minute?

I know I will wait until my display case is finished and it will put me down to the wire. But I surely don't want it to me vs Ed (Tashi).  

I hope this is still going on... any updates?

The contest is still indeed running. I usually wind up waiting until closer to the end to enter myself, but part of that is usually just me being a tad bit lazy.

Last round by this time we had several entries. Maybe the category selection should have been something different? I know it's a LOT of work for some members to get their whole collection in shape for photos. I also posted the contest info over at two other sites I belong to, in hopes of more entries. So far, nothing.

I'm sure there will be more as we get closer to the deadline. I'm just hoping that we don't loose interest again like before the partnership. If we didn't get the amount of entries we did for round 19, let's just say I would not be promoting round 20 right now.